Deadly Premonition can only be labeled as the re-imagining of the TV series "Twin Peaks." The intro oozes a bizarre atmosphere that sets the tone for the entire game. Two twins discover the corpse of a young woman named Anna hanging decoratively from a tree. The small town of Greenvale is rocked by the discovery, and a wave of despair hits the citizens. Enter FBI Agent Francis York Morgan, an eccentric detective with a penchant for coffee, and tendency to talk to an imaginary friend named Zach.

He's been on a trail of a vicious serial killer with the same M.O., and this recent murder matches the killers pattern. This upstanding city detective with a lack of social skills, has to match his wits versus the Greenvale police department. It's in these encounters that Deadly Premonition outmatches most video games. York is dedicated to his job to a great fault, and it's clearly taken his personality to a strange place. The Sheriff and his Deputy are used to handling their problems directly, but this aloof outsider disrespects the city and the way they work. His grandstanding ways and their reactions to them is fantastically portrayed in the voice-work.

This game pulls no punches with mature themes. It surprisingly sells a murder mystery with the intricacy of a well-scripted television show. The flashes of violent crimes and descriptive tales of York’s previous cases is handled with such grace that it never borders on alarming. The thrilling murder case evolves by doing actual detective work. Questioning suspects, tracking a lead, solving puzzles, and profiling crime scenes is when Deadly Premonition is at its best.

At its worst… is everything else that Deadly Premonition attempts. Shoddy graphics, animatronic character animations, screen-tearing, heavy frame drops, terrible driving mechanics, maximum car speed at sixty mph, horrible inventory system, no fast travel, no way-point system (which wouldn't be a problem if the cars were faster.), a slow time-limit clock, a worthless food and hunger bar, and a terrible pause menu. Even after all of those missteps, the combat is the ultimate disappointment. Instead of sticking to a deep seeded system of detective work, and a possible gunfight here and there with a perp, we are instead treated to a ghoulish dip into the supernatural world of Silent Hill Greenvale.

It doesn’t fit in with York’s case at all and apparently it only happens in his head. He runs around dark passages with a flashlight and a gun, and shoot the most abysmal A.I. monsters ever. Even with the horrible aiming mechanics, it’ll be near impossible not to get a head-shot on these dimwitted enemies. There are plenty of weapons thrown around the area, but the pistol has unlimited bullets and handles every situation without issue. The only time where York doesn’t have the outright advantage is when he’s facing off against an axe-maniac in a raincoat. This activates horrible quick-time events and analog quaking chase scenes that are not even remotely amusing.

It’s shameful how a game with such a great story and game play ideas for a detective mystery, turned out to be a freakishly ugly and boring horror shooter. If the combat doesn’t get you, the mundane travel system will, or the inventory, or the time-limit, and so much more. Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut receives a C- from Geek Citadel. Somehow, under all of these mistakes… lies a detective story worth unraveling.

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Did you ever want to nurture and help a world develop by means of mystical abilities? Reus gives you the power to accomplish this feat. You are a planet that has control over god like creatures with the power of development and destruction. As a planet that often takes naps, you seek caretakers to tend to our creations while you sleep. The goal is to instruct your godlike creatures into creating a habitable planet for the humanoids of the realm. It’s in hope that when you awaken from your slumber again, it will be to a beautiful and prosperous civilization.

Reus is less about building structures, and more about creating an ecosphere that will help humans thrive. The goal is to attempt to complete as many projects as possible before the creatures go to sleep. Each completed project opens up a new development for humankind. After accomplishing a project for the humans, they will send out an ambassador to meet the giants looming in the background.

Collecting ambassadors unlocks skills that can help improve the agriculture. Setting up matching crops will create a symbiosis between them. This usually creates a higher food or mineral output from the combination of crops. The ultimate goal is to upgrade and produce as much resources as the humans demand.

It’s damn fun to try and meet human demand and see how they grow. More than likely no matter what you do, they will become greedy and rampage on their neighbors. You can watch it all happen, or you can take control of the situation by stamping them out under foot. Reus has a cartoonish art style, and the animations work fairly well for the simplified visuals.

There are only a few modes available with Era, and Freeplay mode as the minimal selections. Era Mode pits the player against time to unlock as many developments and achieve a high prosperity. Freeplay allows you to create and play as long as you wish, but unlocking developments and new projects isn’t possible.

In the end, we have an excellent god game to play in short bursts. Longevity isn’t its strongest suit, but if games like Civilization are a bit daunting, this would probably be a better title to invest in. Reus receives a B- from Geek Citadel. As far as god games go, it’s a bit light on the content, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great investment.

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What happens when humanity commits the ultimate mistake? Civilization collapses on itself and all that is left on the surface is scorched earth. Humans survive under the surface like rats, and mutated animals stalk the cities that they once lived in. The Dark Ones were the worst of the problems, and a man named Artyom helped thin them out by launching a missile on their nest and wiping them out. Unfortunately, the group he works for has discovered that one of them may still be alive. It’s up to Artyom to take on the task to eliminate the last Dark One, and end their plague once and for all.

It’s simple fact that humans never change. There are three groups still fighting each other even after making the planet uninhabitable. The Reich, The Reds, and The Order are fighting for supremacy of the human race. Artyom is a ranger in The Order, and on his quest to finish off the last Dark One, he gets caught up in the politics of the three groups. It’s a wild ride from start to finish, with Artyom constantly on the defensive against man and beast alike.

Metro is a persuasive shooter filled with ambience and lore. Every single corner rings out with a voice about how the world used to be, or what it’s like now that things have changed. Combat isn’t about expending as many bullets into people as possible. Ammo is scarce and the only means of payment in the world, so conservation is necessary. Shooting people in the face is best accomplished from the darkness. However, when all else fails and the bullets start flying, it’s a rewarding and satisfying experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Metro understands that purposefully placed combat, mixed with an inviting ambience is all that a true shooter needs.

The title utterly nails the visuals, with some jaw-dropping sites and a thoughtful attention to detail. Disasters are an easy thing to depict by throwing shrapnel and broken down buildings everywhere. Metro shines at bringing acceptance and hope to a world that should have nothing to live for. An imperfect wasteland filled with grotesque mutations and down-to-earth character models creates a believable world. It’s no small feat that Metro achieves not just beautiful graphics, but also an immersive backdrop to accompany the imagery.

This title delivers on all fronts as not only a shooter, but as an experience piece. If you’re looking for a shooter that isn’t just about set pieces, this one will definitely prove to be a great choice. Metro Last Light receives an A from Geek Citadel. This highly entertaining shooter accomplishes atmosphere, tension, and adventure more than many in the genre.

Nancy and her friend Susie are taking a trip to Birmingham. Nancy falls asleep at the wheel and has a weird dream about a Prophet. She is skeptical about his ability to prophesize anything, but he shows off his skill by letting her know that her car will run out of gas. She wakes up to the screams of her best friend and discovers that they have parked at a Petrol Station. This would be a lucky break if any of the gas pumps actually worked. It’s up to Nancy to move through the petrol station and find a way to fill up her tank and get to Birmingham.

Nancy the Happy Whore is a traditional adventure game. It’s filled with adult humor about drugs and sex without stooping to a crude level. It takes a lot from old school point-and-click titles like Discworld, Sam and Max, and many more. It even shares the look of many titles of yesteryear, but that credit goes to the Adventure Game Studios engine.You will guide our happy prostitute to different parts of the gas station and discover wacky characters who only seek to hinder you. The encounters are not as madcap as one would hope from the title, but it is engaging enough to push through the three hours of game play.

It features a fully voiced cast of characters, but there are only a few standouts among the bunch. Nancy and Susie are fantastic, and they nail their quips with the grace deserved of an adventure title. A few of the villains like the Cultists, Mr. Green, Mr. Blue, and the Clerk sell their characters very well. It’s the sound design that brings down the quality of the dialogue. Some of the actors recorded their material without pop-filters, and a few voices are incredibly low and barely understandable. It can really detract from the jokes told on the screen when the music blares over the character talking. The worst of the offenders is the “Geek”, who sounds like he’s in a room with a ton of echo and he’s speaking his lines with his regular voice. It’s horrible since he’s a major part of the story-line, and that’s a damn shame since a lot of the other villain voices would have been a better choice.

All in all, this is an charming title with a fair grasp on the adventure genre. It’s not rip-roaringly funny or anything, but it does have its fair share of laughs. In a way, the ludicrous nature of the game isn’t as fleshed out as one would hope. It’s a three-hour ride that doesn’t stretch its legs until the hour and a half mark. It’s a shame that there are so many sound design issues in the title, and that’s a no-no in a dialogue heavy adventure game. Nancy the Happy Whore receives a C from Geek Citadel. If you can overcome the apparent sound flaws, a humorous five-dollar adventure awaits.

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Death is in the air and the war with a race of technologically advanced aliens has taken its toll on the Earth. The Human forces are barely able to push back the overwhelming forces of the violent invaders. Their last hope lies in the destructive capabilities of the weapon aptly named “Shockwave”. First Lieutenant Simon Lynx takes on the task of finding the only man who can operate the device, Doctor Zander. If Lynx cannot retrieve this scientist, the planet will be at the whim of the extraterrestrial terror.

Anomaly 2 names itself as a “reverse” Tower Defense, but it’s more of an on-rails RTS with a single unit under your control. Players take on the role of the Commander and can move freely about the map as they wish. The Commander can procure and upgrade various units, but they move and fire autonomously down a straight path. The tactical map halts the action and shows the available routes that the squad can pass through. Players can view upcoming enemies and mission objectives on the map. The strategy lies in creating an optimal fight or flight path that would do the least damage to the passing vehicles.

On the battlefield, Lieutenant Lynx can utilize his own skills to provide support to the bigger vehicles. He can repair damaged vehicles, disable enemies with EMP’s, and set a decoy to draw enemy fire. Each of the skills has a limited use, but Lynx can pick up extra stacks from the wreckage of his foes. The available machines available for combat come in the form of two different flavors. Double tapping on squad members will cause them to morph like Transformers and swap to an alternate firing mode. Some vehicles expand a shield across the squad, while others get up close and personal and spew flame.

You will need to pay close attention to everything on the field. The aliens have special units that will not suffer defeat against certain vehicles, so selling a vehicle and replacing it is usually the best option at hand. Drawing out the perfect path and knowing when to upgrade your vehicles crucial to victory. However, planning a route that leads into dense territory, or overusing the Commander skills will lead to some frustrating restarts. If you aren’t up for restarting missions to secure a better path for your squad… you may wish to steer clear of Anomaly 2.

Multiplayer pits friends against each other as the attacker and the defender. The Defender takes on the role of a traditional Tower Defense commander. Prepare to stack up a good squad of towers, and harvest resources for new and improved weapons. Players can click on certain deployed towers to emit damage bursts, or speed up the construction of unfinished towers nearby. The multiplayer only features four levels and one mode, but it’s a good change of pace from the single-player. The broken down city-scape and the intricate character models make this one of the best-looking Tower Defense titles ever. It even has some appealing voice acting that pushes the presentation to an even higher level. The story leans on the generic side, but the strategic game play more than makes up for it. Anomaly 2 receives a B from Geek Citadel. It’s a great take on the Tower Defense genre, but unless you can stomach restarting missions that span over 15 to 30 minutes, it may be wise to give this one a pass.

In the depths of a forest lies a lone cottage where a girl named Ayesha lives. Ayesha is an herbalist that creates and sells medicine to nearby villages. She is high-spirited despite losing her sister Nio in a tragic accident, or at least that’s what she was lead to believe. The ghostly vision of her sister appears in the ruins where she disappeared, but she vanishes before Ayesha can embrace her. A mysterious man appears in the ruins and offers the simple hope that Nio may still live. Without hesitation, Ayesha decides that she must venture out into the world and find her lost sister.

Prepare for a casual romp full outright silliness in place of grim and serious storytelling. Anime haters need not apply to the festival of wacky character tropes. Ayesha stumbles about the world in search of her sister while encountering spunky witches, the big brother type, and the disingenuous entrepreneur. The story is nothing to take contemplate about, as it makes light of itself constantly. It’s humorous but filled with random events that come off as filler to accompany the game play. At times the constant cut-scenes actually detracted from the experience, since they did not advance the story in any significant way.

I’ve never played an Atelier title before, but I do know that the main drawing point is the Alchemy system. The player will piece together a variety of materials to construct new items. This can range from healing, damage, enhancement items, or even new weapons and armor. Each new component will increase Ayesha’s experience in Alchemy, and as she furthers her career, she will be able to create higher-level equipment. As she gains experience she will learn new skills that will allow her to make better use of the cauldron. She'll learn to randomize the order that she inserts resources, and synthesize certain elements in materials to increase the items potency. Crafting is by far the most entertaining element in the title, and you will be doing a lot of it.

Time is incredibly important in Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk. Ayesha only has two years to find her sister Nio, and complete all of her side-missions. Crafting items and moving around the world moves time forward, so Ayesha will have to accomplish all her goals before her time is up. Since Ayesha is the queen of running errands, she will have to spend many of her days scrounging for materials and crafting them. Just about everyone and their mother wants her to bring them something, and she usually has a limit on how long she can take get their objects.

The only way to earn materials is to purchase them or head to different locations to find minerals. Picking various resources will quickly pass the time, but it’s a necessity that must be planned for. Ayesha can gain companions who can obtain rare ingredients that she will need for Alchemy. They also play a key role in tearing down the monsters that roam the wilds. Wandering around the world is incredibly dangerous, and even the act of picking a flower could mean an encounter with a beast.

Ayesha can beat a monster over the head in the field to start a battle. Combat plays out in traditional turn-based style. The unique twist that Atelier Ayesha provides is the ability to use follow-up attacks, protect weaker companions, or attack an enemy’s flank at the press of a button. It’s a bit generic but it’s the only way to get materials and return to the alchemy, so you’ll just have to endure it. It also takes a fair amount of grinding to compete against the stronger monsters in the title. It’s definitely not for everyone, but JRPG enthusiasts should be able to endure.

Atelier Ayesha uses a bright color palette with cell-shaded character models. The inhabitants of the world look as if they stepped right out of an anime. The environments hold up well, but they are not nearly as impressive as the anime-inspired residents. That especially goes for the combat arenas, which maintains a clear backdrop but highlights the blurry textures beneath the fighters feet. The voice work is bearable, but it’s a shame that there isn’t a Japanese voice track. The music on the other hand is incredibly lively, but none of the melodies will stick in your head.

This title isn't for everyone, but for those that don’t mind a little bit of Rune Factory style crafting this could be a title for you. If you come into this looking for a deep and engrossing story-line you will be sorely disappointed. Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk receives a C- from Geek Citadel. This wacky and humor filled romp can be entertaining, but story lacks depth and the game play is stuck in 2002.

Meet Juan. Juan is our silent protagonist. He lives in Pueblucho, where he tends an agave farm and operates a Tequila distillery. He's called upon to help the Priest of the church move a few items around. Juan meets his old friend the President’s daughter. She has a thing for Juan and asks him to come over to catch up on old times. Things are looking up for our buddy Juan, at least until the President’s home explodes and his friend is kidnapped by the evil, Carlos Calaca. Juan tries to save the President’s daughter, but he is overwhelmed by dark power and dies. Juan wakes up in the realm of the dead and stumbles on a ghostly woman. She offers him the power of a great Luchadore to save his friend. Juan takes on this great strength and sets off a journey to rescue El Presidente’s daughter!

Juan will encounter many strange beings on his travels, and each conversation is pure comedy gold. His encounters with bosses such as Carlos girlfriend, who complains about her relationship but at the same time she's obviously, trying to seduce Juan. Once you learn that there are talking goats and roosters, you'll realize that there nothing is serious in this land. The humor is very similar to the early Monkey Island games, so get ready to release quite a few chuckles. and a great change of pace from the overly serious demeanor of games nowadays. that's what makes this title all the more unforgettable.

Guacamelee's world is a tapestry of vibrant colors and fluid animation. The art-style melds a cartoonish style with flowing watercolor backdrops. It stays beautiful while mixing in video game culture with the tone of movies and the internet. It is clear that Drinkbox loves video games - especially the ones created during the NES era. There are plenty of nods to Mario Bros., and quotes from Star Wars thrown into mix. It's only a bonus that the soundtrack is an electric mix of 8-bit themed beats to match the plat-forming madness.

If you are familiar with Metroidvania titles, you'll feel right at home with Guacamelee. It injects combo-mashing combat, with precise platform jumping elements. Juan can learn a variety of moves for destroying his foes, but these techniques are also useful for traversing the terrain. Juan can frog splash on his enemies, perform a volatile suplex, and knock a person in the air with a mean Shoryuken! Our hero can roll away from attacks, consistently dodging them in timed succession to ignore incoming damage. This fun and frantic system takes on a level of complexity by the addition of power themed shields, and the shifting of dimensional space.

Juan can bounce back and forth between the world of the living and the dead at the push of a button. This allows Juan to reach untouchable enemies and pillars that did not exist before. This is just one of the many powers that Juan can receive by breaking goat statues scattered through the game. Each of these powers can shatter blocks found in various locales of Guacamelee. Juan can also polymorph into a chicken to get into smaller spaces, and this is definitely a nod to the Samus roll from Metroid.

It features cooperative play only on the PS3 console. The Playstation Vita is used as a second controller, or simply upload a save to the cloud and take the game on the road. The Vita version is just as fun, but the screen is zoomed out more and it can detract from the finer details of the title. With that said, the controls are just as smooth as the console version and just as enjoyable. The lack of online multi-player or even ad-hoc Vita play is the only missed opportunity.

Casuals are welcome to jump around wildly through the main storyline. Just be ready for a frustratingly fun time, if you’re in it for the collectibles. Players can obtain health and stamina chunks, find pieces of a Luchadore mask, and break open chests to earn buckets of gold. As Juan earns new abilities, the effort taken to reach these items can produce an abundance of screams and cuss words. It’s the ultimate challenge and it can be maddening, but you’ll continually test your reflexes and thirst for more.

Juan’s journey to save the President’s daughter is an amazing one. Those looking for a hair-pulling test of precision plat forming should apply. Drinkbox has clearly shown their love for gaming and the genre, and the tender loving care blossoms from this title. Guacamelee receives an A from Geek Citadel. This is one of the best titles to own on PS3 or Vita, and for a meager fifteen dollars that’s a deal that can’t be beat.